Eighth-grader Bayli Silberstein asked for permission to start the club at Carver Middle School.

The school board didn't deny the request, but instead drafted a policy that would put an end to any club that is not tied to a specific class. The proposal would effectively ban the gay-straight alliance club.

"At the previous workshops, some of them had exception of having this kind of content discussed at a middle school," said Lake County schools spokesman Chris Patton.

"I did not expect this from adults. I did not think they would be so judgmental about this," said Silberstein.

The American Civil Liberties Union responded with a petition with more than 30,000 names on it and a promise to keep watching how this story unfolds.

"We will see what the school board does. We are hoping they will do the right thing and do it administratively and without the need of a lawsuit," said Joyce Hamilton Henry from the ACLU.

The gay community came out in such large numbers to support the students that the meeting had to be moved to a larger space.